The controversy over Kim Soo Hyun’s alleged underage relationship with the late Kim Sae Ron is now shedding light on actresses from his past projects, including the late Sulli, Han Ji Eun, and Suzy, all of whom appeared in his film Real.
“In a 2018 interview for Rampant, Han Ji Eun shared that filming Real left her deeply affected. She said, “It felt awkward to take on a major role where I was treated with care for the first time. I hadn’t fully healed from the wounds Real left behind when I started, so it was tough. Thankfully, Rampant brought me comfort and helped me recover.”
It is known that most of Han Ji Eun’s scenes in Real were cut from the final edit, apart from those involving nudity and bed scenes.
Suzy made a cameo appearance in Real as Kim Soo Hyun’s tattoo artist. Although her screen time lasted only about five seconds, she had to wear full-body tattoo makeup and perform a smoking scene. Kim Soo Hyun mentioned in an interview at the time, “Suzy arrived six hours before filming to get the tattoo makeup done. But then she said to me, ‘I wasn’t told about this,’ which made me feel a bit sorry.”
Netizens have reacted strongly, saying, “Suzy had that nation’s first love image back then, did she only find out about this concept on the day of the shoot?” and “An actress’s image is crucial, so not giving her proper explanations is just highly disrespectful.” In addition to Suzy, other popular actresses such as IU, Park Seo Joon and Ahn So Hee also appeared in Real.
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Despite initial anticipation, Real was plagued with controversy even before its release. Director Lee Jung Sub was suddenly replaced by production company CEO Lee Sa Rang halfway through production. The film also drew attention for its incoherent storyline and Sulli’s random nude scenes.
During Real promotions, Kim Soo Hyun commented on Sulli’s involvement, saying, “Sulli must have felt a lot of pressure. But as you can see from her social media, she’s someone who addresses difficulties on the spot, which made it easier for me to act alongside her.” However, he has not yet responded to recent allegations that Sulli was pressured into filming bed scenes.
As the controversy grew, Real’s original director Lee Jung Sub addressed the situation on his social media on March 28th. He reposted an old tweet about his removal from the project. The tweet said, “What happened to that movie was not Lee Jung Sub’s fault, not even 1%.” To the post, the director commented, “Thank you. This has weighed heavily on me for a long time.”
On March 29th, in response to a netizen asking for clarification on the alleged forced nudity scenes, Lee Jung Sub stated, “I don’t have the official authority to explain since my name isn’t in the film’s director credits.” He elaborated, “From the beginning of the audition process, the production team prevented me from being on set. I was excluded from the selection process for fairness. I only met the final eight selected actors, and among them, I chose Han Ji Eun, who was then a rookie actress. We had a great time filming together.”
He continued, “Another rookie actor at the time, Jo Woo Jin, also went through an audition process before I carefully cast him. I first met him at the VIP premiere of Inside Men and had an interview with him for casting. But again, since I do not hold the official ‘director’ credit for Real, I am not in a position to offer an official explanation.”
Since Kim Sae Ron’s passing on February 16th, Lee Jung Sub has consistently posted about the issue and voiced criticism.
On the day of her passing, he shared a cryptic post, saying, “We are all surrounded by people, but in truth, no one is really there.” On February 20th, he wrote, “I spent my life managing the moods of rude people. When I should have fought back, I was too exhausted and just smiled and stayed silent. That’s how people keep getting crushed. It’s so heartbreaking. Fight back, kick, curse if you have to, but don’t die, kids.”
On March 11th, he reposted claims that Kim Sae Ron’s family had attempted to report their unfair treatment by Kim Soo Hyun and his agency, Gold Medalist, to the press, but were ignored.
On March 14th, after Kim Soo Hyun’s agency denied allegations of an underage relationship, Lee Jung Sub criticized the response. He wrote, “He should start by apologizing to the deceased. He’s a human being, isn’t he? Nothing has changed. He’s only evolved to be more ruthless.”
Even on March 30th, Lee Jung Sub continued to speak out, responding to a fan supporting Kim Soo Hyun. He wrote, “I have never incited or orchestrated an exposé. For a long time, I have simply spoken as I do now. I quietly did my own work and shared my personal grief and sorrow that no one paid attention to. I don’t want to be used by you or by the media.”
He added, “If you are truly a good fan of his, you should consider how his actions have affected the world and act accordingly. I, too, was once one of his biggest fans.”
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